They’ll shuffle from pillow to post

Two years after a most unlikely election victory, the West Australian Liberals are in the sleepy hamlet of York, a short carriage ride from Perth, for a weekend’s strategy and bonding session. In other words a rural love-in.

As it happens, some MPs may be sharing a bit more love than they counted on.

It turns out some of the rooms at the inn are still being refurbished, so bunks will be at a premium.

But getting cosy with Premier
Colin Barnett
could come in handy – he’s soon to decide on a cabinet shuffle to accommodate the return of a prodigal son, former treasurer and legendary chair sniffer
Troy Buswell
.

The waggish Buswell was dumped in April over a misunderstanding about taxpayer funds used while he was having an affair with a Greens MP. It turns out the former treasurer fessed up for nothing, given he was on official business and in fact didn’t claim his full entitlements.

But the real intrigue of this weekend will be the beauty parade among backbenchers jostling for a possible frontbench spot.

Carine MP Tony Krsticevic is rumoured to have been touting his credentials for a promotion to anyone who will listen. One possible hurdle for the first-term pollie are questions over why “Special K", as he is known to his closest confidants, recently asked the state’s corruption watchdog to expunge his name from a transcript of an investigation in which he had been innocently named.

The Prince assumes the name appeared entirely through some sort of ghastly misunderstanding which will be cleared up quickly by the parliamentary committee investigating the matter. Until then, no one – even Krsticevic – is allowed to reveal why the name was there.